304) ME. A. H. GEEEN ON THE BEAVEE. 



I have no doubt this is in consequence of the heads of the first or 

 principal trees being floated down stream when they are first 

 thrown. The body of water raised by these dams varies, of course, 

 according to the fall of the original stream, from a small hole of 

 20 feet diameter to a lake of miles in length. In the former case 

 the Beaver builds his house close to the dam, so as to get depth of 

 water, and there saves himself from any hungry panther {Felis 

 concolor, L.) or wolf who might feel inclined to indulge in beaver- 

 meat. The beaver also burrows into the banks of streams, always 

 taking care to have two entrances, one under (or close to) the 

 water, and a smaller air-hole on la^d. With a good dog, capital 

 sport may be had on some of the smaller rivulets leading into or 

 out of a lake. The houses are formed of water-logged sticks placed 

 horizontally in the water. They have always two or more en- 

 trances, and a small chamber with a little grass for the beaver to 

 lie on- The top of the house is constructed very thick, to guard 

 against attacks by animals. Mud and roots are used to make the 

 the house solid ; but no mud is seen from the outside, as the top is 

 covered with loose sticks left there by the beaver after taking the 

 bark off. The houses are generally about 4 feet in height, and 

 about 6 in diameter on the outside, and would hold about four 

 Beavers, though I have known small houses to hold two only. 



The traps generally used in securing the beaver are large steel 

 traps with a strong spring at each end, and fastened with a chain, 

 from 4 to 6 feet long, to a pole, which is stuck in the bottom of 

 the water as far out as the chain will allow, so that the beaver, 

 when he feels the trap, may run into deep water; and as he 

 gets tired, the weight of trap taking him down, he drowns. A 

 beaver, when trapped, never tries to get to land, but makes a 

 dive for the deepest water ; and should the water be shallower 

 than 4 feet, he will, in a short time, amputate his foot so as to re- 

 lieve himself He always takes his foot off at a joint, and draws 

 the sinews out of his shoulder instead of biting them through. 

 The stump heals up ; and I think the beaver is none the worse 

 for it, though he gets shy, and, perhaps, tells the other beavers 

 to beware of traps. A beaver is generally caught by his fore 

 foot ; and should the trap be set too deep below water, his toe-nail 

 only gets caught. The trap is set in the beaver-run, or just 

 where it springs into a hole in the bank. It must not be set in 

 too shallow water, for then he amputates his foot, — or in too deep, 

 for in that case he does not get caught at all, but swims over the 



